Shoe conditioning apparatus



Oct. 24, 1944. JQRGENSEN 7 2,360,949

SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4, 1942 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

A/ VE/V TUF. 7

Oct. 24, 1944. B. JORGENSEN 2,360,949

SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VE/V T051 B. JORGENSEN 2,360,949

Oct. 24, 1944.

SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4, 1942 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I l if F U 35 I 3! 33 E 4' 55 I0 55 g:

Patented Oct. 24, 1944 SHOE CONDITIONING APPARATUS Bernhardt Jorgensen, Marblehead, Mass, as-

signor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 4, 1942, Serial No. 457,301

17 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for conditioning partially fabricated shoes with heat and water vapor, and is herein illustrated as embodied in an apparatus designed to prepare the Vamps of side-lasted shoes for toe lasting.

Although heat is required to soften thermoplastic toe boxes prior to toe lasting, hot water vapor is also required to soften Vamps made of leather. One of the problems involved in the use of water vapor for toe softening is to avoid too much moistening of the insole of a shoe incidentally to conditioning the vamp and the toe box. This problem arises in connection with nearly all types of shoes irrespective of the means employed in the toe-lasting operation to secure the lasting margin to the insole, but is particularly acute if thermoplastic lasting cement is to be used for that purpose because any considerable quantity of moisture on the surfaces to which the cement is applied will impair its adhesion thereto.

With regard to this problem, the present invention provides an improved apparatus in which the toe portions of shoes may be treated with hot water vapor for a limited time only without limiting the length of time during which they may remain in their-respective treatment chambers.

An improved feature of the invention is provided by a semiautomatic valve mechanism for controlling the supply of hot water vapor to a treatment chamber, and a timing mechanism which may be tripped manually by setting the valve mechanism in a position to admit the vapor to the treatment chamber. When the timing mechanism has run its course it-causes the valve mechanism to stop the ingress of water vapor to the treatment chamber but leaves the work in the heated atmosphere in the chamber until the operator removes it.

Another feature of the invention is provided by a combination comprising an exhaust valve coupled with the supply valve. These valves are so related that closing either of them opens the other. Consequently, the exhaust valve permits surplus vapor to escape from the apparatus without moistening the work when the supply valve is closed. Moreover, the apparatus is so organized that the surplus vapor after flowing through an exhaust port is constrained by the exhaust valve to flow on the outer surface of a wall of the treatment chamber to supply additional heat to the latter before it escapes to the outside atmosphere.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a .shoe treating apparatus provided with a timing mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a front and rear plane through the left hand treatment chamber;

Fig. 3 is a widthwise vertical section indicated by line IIIIII in Fig. '2;

Fig. 4 is a widthwise horizontal section indicated by line IVIV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the elements sembled on the timing shaft;

' Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the timing assemblages in the stopping position; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the timing disks.

The casing ID of the treatment apparatus is provided with sheet metal walls and partitions forming two individual treatment chambers H and I2, a vapor chamber L3 underlying both of vthem (Fig. 3), and a basin M (Fig. 2) for water.

A detachable tank l5 for supplying Water'to the basin is entirely closed except an opening in its spout it which, when inserted into the basin, constitutes a barometric feeder for maintaining the water in the basin at a constant level it. A tube l8 conducts water from the basin into the chamber l3 and maintains the water in the lat- ,ter at level H.

A stack .IS in the middle of the chamber 13 (Fig. 3) is open at top and bottom and provides a flue for air which is heated by an electric heating unit 20 supported below the stack but projecting upwardly'therethrough. The water in the chamber [3 is vaporized by its contact with the outer surface of the stack to which a high degreeof heat is radiated by the unit 20. At the same time, the heat in' the stack induces an updraft of air through the flue, andthe heated air is deflected horizontally by a manifold 2| having one outlet 8 under the chamber l I and one under the chamber l2. .At these p nts'the two stre ms of hot air become intermingled with the vapor rising from the water in the chamber l3. The outlets in the manifold are controlled by manually adjustable dampers Y22 and 2,3. ,In all .respects above pointed out the apparatus 'is .organized according to ,a well known commercial .design, but the novel features hereinafter described provide improvements embodying the present invention.

The vapor accumulated in the chamber l3 may flow into the treatment chambers -Il'.and. ,IZ through-inlet portsl24 can these are.closed, itmay escape ,through'ports l25 intoan exhaust flue 25 .at the rear of thechambers II ahd l'Zland separated from them by a sheet metal partition 21, 'Vapor partition 21.

in the flue 26 may escape to the outside atmosphere through many holes 28, but not before it has traversed the partition 21 and transferred much of its heat thereto. The atmosphere in the chambers H and I2 is thus assured of radiant heat from the partition 21 when ingress of vapor to them is obstructed.

The bottom walls of the chambers II and [2 are provided withinlet valves each comprising two mated parts or sections 30. These are flat plates and each pair is connected to the bottom wall by a pivot pin 3|. The valves are shaped to cover the ports 24 as in the chamber 12 (Fig. 4) or to uncover them as in the chamber II, and each pair of plates is operable independently of the other pair. Two operating rods 32 extend through the chambers, respectively, and through the rear walls 21 in which they have bearings. Each rod carries an operating plate 9 having two slots 33 and these are occupied by lugs 34 afiixed to the valve members 30. Movement of the rods to the rear closes the ports 24 and movement to the front opens them.

The rods 32 also carry exhaust valves 35 arranged in the flue 26. These are flat plates the lower margins of which are arranged to close the exhaust ports 25 when the inlet ports 24 are open, and vice versa. When the exhaust ports are open the vapor flowing through them is immediately baflied by the plates 35 and constrained thereby to flow in a thin sheet on the The forward end of each rod 32 extends loosely through an upright arm 36 of a spring loaded lever, two of which are arranged to rock on a fixed supporting rod 31. Collars affixed to the rods 32 flank the arms 36 to provide operating connections. Tension springs 38 attached to these levers are effective normally to close the inlet ports 24 and open the exhaust ports 25, but when a rod 32 is pulled forward as in Fig. 2 and in the chamber ll of Fig. 4 it will be automatically caught and held in that position for a measured interval of time by one of two timing disks mounted on a timing shaft 40 and driven frictionally.

Referring to Fig. the shaft 40 is' journaled in fixed bearings 39 and is provided with a gear 4| and two collars 42 all aflixed to it; The essential requirements of this shaft are that it shall be driven continuously, its speed constant and its rate no faster than one revolution for one treatment of maximum duration with vapor. Once the maximum time for treatment has been decided, the rate of rotation will be provided accordingly. For the purpose herein specified, based upon known characteristics of a predetermined type of thermoplastic cement, the shaft should be rotated at the rate of one revolution in twenty seconds. Fig. 1 includes a transmission shaft 43 and a gear 44 arranged to furnish rotation from a source not shown.

Each timing disk comprises two fiat steel plates 45 and 46 in face to face relation (Fig. 7) and a locking pin 29 affixed to one of them. The other plate is provided with a series of holes 41 in any one of which the pin may be placed. This feature provides for assembling the plates in various angular relations according to the timing desired. The timing disks are pressed against the collars 42 by collars 48 splined to the shaft and the force for this purpose is supplied by a compressed spring 49 seated against both splined collars. The spring not only maintains interlocked relation of the plates 46 and 46 but also develops sufficient friction between the collars and the plates 45 to drive the latter when they are not re strained by means yet to be described.

As shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7 the plates 45 and 46 are provided with segmental peripheral surfaces 50 and 5| that form a composite land of uniform radius but variable length to be ridden by a follower 52 formed on the valve operating lever. The radius of the land 50, 5| is suificient to maintain the inlet port 24 open and the corresponding exhaust port 25 closed, but when the trailing end of the surface 5! leaves the follower the latter is pulled into the path of a stop shoulder 53 on the plate 45. This closes the inlet port 24, but the timing disk continues in rotation until its stop shoulder strikes the follower and is arrested thereby.

When the forepart of a shoe is inserted into a treatment chamber through an opening 55 in the front wall thereof it will be supported by the rod 32. The heel part will then lie on a crossbar 56 affixed to an upstanding bar 57. The latter may be depressed to open the inlet port 24 and raise the follower 52 from the path of the stop shoulder 53. For this purpose the bar 51 is provided with a slot 58 one portion of which is occupied by a portion of a stationary guiding rod 59 and a lower portion of which is occupied by a pin 60 carried by an arm of the lever comprising the corresponding arm 36 and follower 52. The bar 5! is supported by the upper surface of the arm from which the pin 69 projects' This surface is engaged by the lower edge of a plate 6| secured to the bar by a clamping screw 62 which provides for adjusting the bar up and down according to the spring of the shoe bottom. The guiding rod 59 (Fig. 1) extends through both bars 51 and is provided with two pairs of guiding collars 63. The rod 59 is affixed to a supporting arm 64 mounted on the fixed rod 31 and secured thereto by a set screw. This construction provides for adjusting the crossbars 56 toward and from the treatment chambers.

The load imposed upon a crossbar 56 by a shoe is not sufiicient to overcome the force of a spring 38 but the operator may start the ingress of vapor into a treatment chamber and at the same time trip the corresponding timing disk by depressing the heel part of a shoe lodged on a crossbar. Once a follower. 52 is retracted from the path of the abutting stop shoulder 53 the timing disk will begin its rotation, whereupon the segmental land or timing surface of the disk will cooperate with the follower to maintain the inlet port open and the exhaust port closed. The friction developed by the driving collars 42 and 48 and the spring 45 is sufficient to drive the timing disks at full speed despite the bearing of the followers on the surfaces 50 and 51.

When the automatic controls occupy their initial positions (Fig. 6) the spring 38 maintains the inlet valve 30 in closed position, the exhaust valve 35 in open position, and the shoe-support-v ing bar 51 in its raised position. Although the timing disk is stopped by the follower 52 its frictional driving means remains in rotation. Depressing the bar 51 will open the inlet valve, close the exhaust valve. and lift the follower 52 clear of the stop shoulder 53. Once the timing disk is released by the follower, its rotation will carry the land 50 under the latter to continue the measured interval of vapor influx until the follower drops from the trailing end of the land 5|. At this point the spring 38 closes the inlet valve 30 and opens the exhaust valve 35. The remainder of the cycle of rotation carries the stop shoulder 53 against the follower, whereupon the timing disk is arrested in its initial position.

If a shoe remains in a treatment chamber after ingress of vapor :is stopped, the thermoplastic toe .boxaof the shoe will .be maintained in a soft condition by the heat content of the vapor flowing on the bottom 'wall of the chamber and on the rear Wall 27 outside the chamber. In any event, the quantity of moisture deposited on the insole and the lasting margin of the vamp while the inlet port is open will not be enough to impair the adhesion of thermoplastic lasting cement subsequently applied to those elements.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States .is:

1. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising a treatment chamber, .means for supplying hot Water vapor to said chamber, timing means, means for controlling ingress of vapor to said chamber and the operation of said timing means, and means controlled by said timing means for stopping the ingress of vapor to said chamber at the conclusion of a measured interval of time.

2. A shoe-conditioning apparatus-comprising a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, timing means, means for controlling the operation of said timing means, and spring-loaded means arranged to be restrained by said timing means for a measured interval of time and to stop ingress of vapor to said chamber at theconclusion of said measured interval of time.

3. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a rotary timing member having a stop shoulder, means for rotating said member, means for controlling rotation of said member and for stopping rotation thereof by engagement with said shoulder, and means operated by said controlling means for starting and stopping the ingress of vapor to said cham her.

4. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising a plurality of individual treatment chambers, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chambers from a common source, timing means including a plurality of rotary driven members, one for each of said chambers, a plurality of means, one for each of said driven members, by

which the latter may be controlled individually,

and a plurality of means operable by said controlling means, respectively, for starting and stopping ingress of vapor to said chambers respectively, and for continuing the ingress of vapor for measured intervals of time.

5. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a plurality of individual treatment chambers, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chambers from a common source, timing means including a power-driven shaft and a plurality of individually rotatable members mounted thereon and irictionally driven thereby, a' plurality of individually operable means, one for each of said frictionally driven members, for controlling the rotation of said members, and a plurality of means operable by said controlling means, respectively, for starting and stopping ingress of vapor to said chambers respectively, said driven members and said controlling means having cooperative portions for stopping ingress of vapor at the conclusion of measured intervals of time after rotation of the driven members is started.

6. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, .means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, timing means, spring-loaded .means by which said timing means is normally arrested, said springloaded means being movable manually to trip said timing means, and means operable by said spring-loaded means for regulating the ingress of vapor to said chamber, said timing means and said spring-loaded means having cooperative .por- .tions by which the latter .is maintained in starting position for a measured interval of time and released at the conclusion of said interval.

7. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a rotary timing member, friction means for driving said timing membenmeans .for tripping and stopping said timing member, a valve operable by said tripping and stopping means for controlling the. ingress of vapor tosaid chamber, and a spring by which said tripping and stopping means is normally shifted to its stopping position, said timing member having a portion for restraining said tripping and stopping means in its tripping position for a measured interval of time and releasing it at the conclusion of such interval.

8. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor .to said chamber, a valve for controlling ingress of vapor to said chamber, a rotary timing member, friction means for driving said timing member, and springloaded means arranged to close said valve and stop said timing member at a predetermined position, said timing member having aportion for restraining said spring-loaded means from. closing said valve fora measured interval of time and for releasing it at the conclusion of such interval 9. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means arranged to supply hot water vapor to said chamber, a valve for controlling the ingress of vapor into said chamber, a timing mechanism, means for openingsaid 'valve and starting the operation of said timing mechanism, and power-operated means controlled by said timing mechanism to close said valve at the conclusion of a measured interval of time.

10. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means arranged to supply hot water vapor to said chamber, a spring-loaded valve arranged to stop the ingress of vapor into said chamber, a timing mechanism arranged to restrain said valve in its open position and release it at the conclusion of a measured interval of time, and manually operable means arranged to open said valve and start the operation of said timing mechanism.

11. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a valve for controlling ingress of vapor into said chamber, a spring by which said valve is normally closed, means including a rotary driven member and a cooperative follower for restraining said valve in open position, said rotary member including two relatively adjustable segmental parts forming a composite land of regulatable angular extent for restraining the valve, and power-driven means arranged to rotate said driven member.

12.. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a rotary timing member having a stop shoulder and a trailing portion constituting a land, powerdriven means for rotating said timing member, and spring-loaded means including a valve for controlling ingress of vapor into said chamber and a member arranged to cooperate with said land to maintain the valve in open position and thereafter with said shoulder to arrest rotation of the timing member.

13. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber having a frontal opening to receive one end of a shoe, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a valve for controlling ingress of vapor to said chamber, a movable member arranged to be engaged and displaced by a shoe located in said opening, a timing means, means operable by said shoe-engaging member to trip said timing means and open said valve, and means controlled by said timing means to close said valve at the conclusion of a measured interval of time.

14. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber having a frontal opening to receive one end of a shoe, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a valve for controlling ingress of vapor to said chamber, a movable member arranged to be engaged and displaced by a shoe located in said opening, a rotary timing member having a stop shoulder and a segmental timing portion, power-driven means for rotating said timing member, a stop member movable to and from the path of said shoulder, means operable by said shoe-engaging member to open said valve and retract said stop member from said path, and means controlled by said segmental portion to close said valve at the conclusion of a measured interval of time and return said stop member to g the path of said shoulder.

15. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber and an exhaust flue having a partition common to both, means for supplying hot Water vapor to said chamber or said flue as the case'may be, movable spring-loaded means arranged normally to admit the vapor into said flue and obstruct its ingress into said chamber, and timing mechanism arranged to restrain said spring-loaded means for a measured interval of time in a position to admit the vapor into said chamber and obstruct its ingress into said flue and to release said means at the conclusion of such interval.

16. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a plurality of individual treatment chambers and a flue partitioned from them but in thermal relation to each of them, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chambers or said flue as the case may b a plurality of individually movable spring-loaded means each arranged normally to admit the vapor into said flue and obstruct its ingress into a corresponding one of said chambers, and a plurality of individually operable timing mechanisms each arranged to restrain a corresponding one of said spring-loaded means for a measured interval of time in a position to admit the vapor into the corresponding chamber and obstruct its ingress into said flue and to release said means at the conclusion of such interval.

17. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising means forming a treatment chamber, means for supplying hot water vapor to said chamber, a valve for controlling the ingress of vapor to said chamber, a rotary driving member and a timing member arranged to rotate about a common axis and having cooperative friction surfaces for imparting rotation to the timing member, a spring arranged to press the timing member and the driving member one against the other, the timing member including two angularly adjustable parts having interlocking formations arranged to be maintained in alternative interlocked relations by said spring, and said adjustable parts having segmental peripheral surfaces forming a composite land of regulatable length, and spring-loaded means arranged to bear on said land to maintain said valve in open position and to close the valve when released b the trailin end of the land.

BERNHARDT J ORGENSEN. 

